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White House Snips Reporter’s Question To Putin Asking If He Wanted Trump To Win Election

The White House has posted an edited version of the Helsinki press conference removing a question asking if the Russian president wanted Trump to win the 2016 election.

The White House has chosen to post a oh-so-slightly edited version of the press conference with Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin the Helsinki summit.

The new White House version omits one sentence from a Reuters reporter asking Putin if he wanted Trump to win the 2016 election.

Rachel Maddow highlighted the edit during her broadcast Tuesday night.

Here’s the original transcript unedited:

Putin: “Options abound. And they all can be found in an appropriate legal framework.”

Reuters: “Mr. President, did you want President Trump to win the election? And did you direct any of your officials to help him do that?

Putin: “Yes, I did. Yes, I did.”

Now, here’s the version the White House has posted

Putin: “Options abound. And they all can be found in an appropriate legal framework.”

Reuters: “And did you direct any of your officials to help him do that?

President Vladimir Putin: “Yes, I did. Yes, I did.”

Things that make you go ‘hmmm….’

Now, why edit just that one little question? Shouldn’t the White House be presenting history as it actually happened?

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Demi Lovato Hospitalized For Suspected Overdose

Demi Lovato (image via Instagram)

UPDATE: According to Demi’s rep, she is now “awake and responsive.”

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Demi Lovato was apparently hospitalized on Tuesday in Los Angeles after a suspected heroin overdose, according to TMZ.

TMZ reports Lovato was transported from her Hollywood Hills home shortly before noon today to a local hospital.

Paramedics reportedly found Lovato unconscious upon arrival at her home.

The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer’s condition is not currently known.

The 25-year-old actress and pop star has struggled with alcohol, cocaine and Oxycontin abuse for years.

In June, she released her song, “Sober,” as she shared that she had relapsed shortly after celebrating six years of sobriety.

Lovato was scheduled to perform at an upcoming date in Atlantic City. No announcement on whether she’ll make that date.

The singer is one of the biggest names on social media, with a combined following of over 145 million.

Developing story…

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Billy Porter On “White, Cisgender, Rich” Gays Who Hit The Exits After Marriage Equality

Billy Porter (photo: Lizzy Sullivan)

Tony & Grammy Award winner Billy Porter calls out “white, cisgender, rich boys” in the LGBTQ community for closing their checkbooks once they got marriage equality in a new interview with Vulture.

Porter, who’s never been meek when it comes to issues of equality and civil rights, shares in a candid, new interview how working on the hit FX television series Pose brought back memories of living through the AIDS epidemic in 1980s New York City.

Billy says he was reminded how the transgender community became practically “invisible” during that time.

“For me, as a 48-year-old gay man, when I came out, we had to fight for our lives. Because the fight was so intense — and this is what this show has taught me — the T in LGBTQ was almost invisible. The fight was about something else. I equate it to the idea of the civil rights movement, and Martin Luther King Jr. and his relationship with Bayard Rustin. He was the gay man that taught him and set him up to be the civil rights leader that he was, and was erased from the conversation because that wasn’t the fight.”

The Pose actor goes on to describe witnessing how some left the battle field (taking their money with them) when the focus of LGBTQ rights shifted from marriage to transgender protections.

“There’s a lot of that in the gay culture, especially the cisgender, white, rich gay culture. I sat on the board of the Empire State Pride Agenda for six years, and that’s an organization that really was influential in lobbying and fighting for gay rights, during the AIDS crisis all the way up through marriage equality. When these white, cisgender, rich boys got marriage equality and the organization’s focus turned to transgender rights, those motherfuckers closed their checkbooks, and the organization of 25 years had to close.”

Billy summed up his purview of the situation:

“We need take all that energy and focus, and shift it on to those who are less than us. That’s how it works. Internal vigilance is the price of liberty. If we don’t take care of the least among us, it doesn’t matter how rich we are, it doesn’t matter how fabulous we are.”

This writer has known Billy Porter since the early 1990’s when he made his Broadway debut in the hit musical, Miss Saigon.

Billy Porter and I celebrate his birthday in the early 2000s

Over the years we’ve worked together in the theare, and I’ve interviewed him several times as a journalist. I can always count on a frank, candid, and totally unfiltered experience with Billy. #Yassss

When we chatted last year about his latest album, Billy Porter Presents: The Soul of Richard Rodgers, I was all prepared for music chat. But fresh off the 2016 election, Billy was primed for political chat explaining how the album was a political statement in and of itself.

And I loved it.

You can check out our chat from my podcast interview below.

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Ryan Reynolds Hopes To See More Pansexual Deadpool In Upcoming Sequels

Deadpool (image via 20th Century Fox)

 Speaking at San Diego’s Comic Con over the weekend, movie star Ryan Reynolds says he would like to see Deadpool’s infamous pansexuality explored in future films in the superhero franchise.

“I certainly think that this universe needs to represent and reflect the world in very real ways,” Ryan told fans during a Deadpool 2 panel this past weekend. “The great thing about Deadpool is that we’re allowed to do things that other superhero movies don’t necessarily do.”

Without being specific, Reynolds expressed his personal hope that Deadpool’s sexuality will be explored more fully in upcoming sequels.

“It’s something that I’d love to see more of, certainly through Wade, certainly through this universe,” said the 41-year-old Canadian actor.

In addition to the trademark pansexual quips made by the character Deadpool, Deadpool 2 did give us the first superhero LGBT relationship.

Female super sidekicks Yukio and Teenage Negasonic Warhead were featured as a romantic couple in the action flick.

In 2015, director Tim Miller, who helmed the first Deadpool flick, was adamant that the popular anti-hero would be pansexual.

“Pansexual. I want that quoted. Pansexual Deadpool,” he said in an interview with The Guardian at the time.

Pansexual refers to a person who sees no barriers when it comes to sexual partners regardless of their gender or gender identity.

In the comic books, Deadpool is definitely written to be pansexual. And there have been plenty of zippy one-liners alluding to wide-ranging sexual topics, but so far Deadpool’s only physical attraction has been to his girlfriend played by Morena Baccarin in the two Deadpool films.

While superhero movies have lagged in developing LGBTQ characters, there has been a lot more progress when it comes to superheroes on TV, especially in the DC universe.

It was just announced that transgender actress/activist Nicole Maines has been confirmed to play the first trans superhero “Dreamer” in the Supergirl TV series.

And producer Greg Berlanti recently shared he’s developing a new series for The CW for openly lesbian superhero, “Batwoman.”

DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow featured two gay superheroes on a parallel world, “Citizen Cold” and “The Ray,” in a recent crossover event played by out actors Wentworth Miller and Russell Tovey.

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Quinnipiac Polling: Trump Approval Rating At 38%, Majority Of Americans Believe Putin Has Dirt On Trump

Donald Trump won’t be pleased to see the results of Quinnipiac’s latest polling on his approval numbers.

Conducted completely post-Helsinki, the new survey shows Trump back on the downswing again to only 38% job approval, with 58% disapproving.

Additionally, from the same survey, American voters believe 51%-35% “that the Russian government has compromising information about President Trump.”

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Delaware Becomes 15th State To Ban Harmful “Ex-Gay” Therapy

Delaware has become the 15th state to ban the harmful practice of so-called “conversion” or “reparative” therapy.

On Monday, Governor John Carney signed the bill that bans attempts to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of minors. The legislation considers conversion therapy “unprofessional conduct” for mental health and medical professionals. Any mental health professional caught practicing the ‘theraphy’ on a minor will find themselves subject to discipline.

The new law also contains language preventing the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families from recommending “conversion therapy.”

During the legislation’s journey to becoming law, state Rep. Richard Collins (R-Millsboro) introduced an amendment that would have allowed conversion therapy if a patient were to request it. The amendment, fortunately, gained no traction and was soundly voted down.

HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride, a Delawarean herself, issued a statement which read, in part, “Today’s signing is a critical step forward in the fight to ensure that Delaware is a safe and affirming state for all LGBTQ youth, and we hope that the values and progress reflected in this law guide the ongoing conversation in Delaware about protecting LGBTQ students from discrimination.”

The practice has been condemned by the American Medical Association, the American Pediatrics Association, the American Psychiatric Association and many others due to its disastrous effects which can lead to depression and, in some cases, suicide.

Delaware joins Connecticut, California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New York, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Washington, Maryland, Hawaii, New Hampshire – plus Washington, D.C. in enacting legislation to ban the widely discredited practice of “ex-gay” therapy.

Additionally, over 30 cities and municipalities have banned the practice from being performed on minors.

See below a map from the Williams Institute showing where bans have been enacted as well as states with pending legislation.

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News Round-Up: July 23, 2018

Derek Chadwick (image via Instagram)

 Some news items you might have missed:

• Instagram celeb/model Derek Chadwick (above) comes out as gay.

• Liza Minnelli is auctioning thousands of personal belongings July 30 – August 1, including personal items, correspondence, awards, and photos from her mother Judy Garland, as well as pristine bespoke outfits from designers such as Halston, Chanel, Givenchy, and more. For more info, click on this link.

• The New York Daily News has gutted its newsroom by firing half its staff in an effort to refocus the newspaper’s efforts on breaking news. The below tweet is from the now-former editor-in-chief.

• Controversial soccer player Jaelene Hinkle has been cut from U.S. Women’s National Team. In 2017, she refused a call-up to the women’s national team on the basis that she didn’t want to wear a rainbow number for the team’s Pride Month initiative based on her religion.

• My Instinct colleague Samuel reviews Kathy Griffin’s new Laugh Your Head Off comedy tour.

• Read this: The story of a woman who took care of hundreds of abandoned gay men dying of AIDS.

•  Delaware has become the 15th state to ban so-called “conversion therapy.” #happyDance

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Out Music: Echo V “Rainbow”

Jay, Mike, Randy, Devin and Gama are ECHO V, five guys with distinct, echoing voices that combine to create one beautiful sound. By all outward appearances, they seem to be the typical boyband with good looks, lush harmonies and killer choreography, but they have one important difference: they’re all gay. Their debut single, “Rainbow,” reflects their decision to be out about their sexuality. While it is a fun, high energy pop anthem with an explosive hook that will get listeners dancing and singing, it also has an important message.
(photo credit: Bernard Mesa)

Meet Echo V, America’s first all-openly gay boy band.

It’s totally apropos that since the band itself is a virtual rainbow, their first single is titled, “Rainbow,” a high-energy pop anthem that reflects their decision to be open about their sexuality. Check out Jay, Mike, Randy, Devin and Gama in their debut music video below.

 “Our hope is that the song inspires people to stand up and claim their truth, be happy with who they are and find comfort in the fact that they are not alone,” says Jay.

“Rainbow is about unapologetically owning your multifaceted-ness and realizing that you have to live for yourself. It’s a journey to self-discovery and the strength it takes to live life in the open, day in and out.”

The five were united by their management who were looking to build the next generation of boy band. At first, management didn’t know the group they had assembled were all gay. It was the guys that realized it after coming together. They and management decided to go with it.

 “At the end of the day we are musicians who take a great pride in the art we create,” Jay explains. “We want listeners to be proud of who they are and there is no other way for us to do that other than to be honest with who we are.”

Says Mike, “I hope listeners find something fresh in ECHO V. Something different.”

“Is it over zealous to hope they find the voice of a generation?” he questions, with a grin.

Check out the debut song “Rainbow” below, and head over to the official website for Echo V for more info.

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Trailer: Hunky Jason Momoa Stars As ‘Aquaman’

Jason Momoa stars as the king of the seven seas, Aquaman, in the upcoming super hero adventure film from Warner Brothers

One of the most highly-anticipated reveals of this weekend’s Comic Con in San Diego came when Warner Brothers shared the first trailer for the upcoming Aquaman starring hot and hunky Jason Momoa.

In the aftermath of last year’s disappointing Justice League, fans are hoping this new entry in the DC universe will turn the tide.

Directed by James Wan, the film explores Aquaman’s ongoing contention with his royal legacy. But after years of being somewhat useless as an action hero in much of the Justice League adventures in the 60s and 70s (plus the animated Super Friends series), Wan is clearly going for a roller-coaster adrenaline rush approach.

The official log line reads, “The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime—one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be…a king.”

The plot of the film follows Aquaman’s origin story being the son of a lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (played by Temuera Morrison) who rescues and falls in love with Atlanna, queen of Atlantis, played by Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman.

As an adult, Aquaman (real name Arthur Curry) is called to oppose his half-brother, Orm (the always on-point Patrick Wilson), a longtime foe of Aquaman’s who goes by the monicker Ocean Master. Orm has been ruling Atlantis for some time and now intends to destroy the surface world over polluting.

Fellow Atlantean Mera (Amber Heard) finds Arthur and urges him to return with her and take up the throne of Atlantis.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, which describes the movie as “Game of Thrones underwater,” Wan says he views Aquaman as a ‘quest film.’

This will be Momoa’s first outing as THE lead of a major movie. It will be interesting to see if he and his massive pecs can carry the film.

Aquaman opens in theaters December 14.

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Hot Dentist’s Dance Video Gets 50 Million Views In 3 Days

Dr. Rich Constantine of Greenville, SC

South Carolina dentist Dr. Rich Constantine has gone viral thanks to his “Shiggy” dance video to Drake’s “In My Feelings.”

Posted last Thursday on Facebook, the viral video of the sexy doc has racked up almost 50 million views in only three days and been shared almost 600,000 times.

Check it out:

The challenge began after Instagram comedian TheShiggyShow put together the dance steps and folks started posting videos doing the dance.

Speaking to Good Morning America today, Constantine shared his amazement at the widespread audience the video has gotten.

“It was surreal! I’ve never seen anything like that before. I’ve maybe gotten a couple thousand views before at best. That’s it. Never expected anything like this,” Constantine told GMA. “I thought a few people in Greenville, South Carolina, might see it, and a few of my friends and family members. But I had no idea that it would get legs like it did and take off.”

The comments on the viral video have been wild as well. One commenter wrote, “Annnnnnnd he has the smooth “dap” when he walks?!?!? Jesus be a moving van, take the wheel and drive FAST ’cause I’m headed to Greenville, SC!!”

The dentist’s staff had been urging the self-proclaimed Drake fan to take part in the dance challenge, but he was a bit too shy initially.

Constantine says he changed his mind in an effort to show his fun side.

Acknowledging visits to the dentist aren’t always something folks look forward to, Constantine shared, “We like to do fun things at the office to keep the atmosphere light and to make patients smile.”

Trust and believe, Dr. Constantine, you made us smile.